


My Name is Amaris

by onceuponanovel



Category: Fairy Tales & Related Fandoms, Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Family Secrets, Friendship, Gen, OUAT - Freeform, Once Upon A Time, POV Red Riding Hood | Ruby, Werewolf, Wolfstime, enchanted forest
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-30
Updated: 2015-09-30
Packaged: 2018-04-24 03:36:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,603
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4904077
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/onceuponanovel/pseuds/onceuponanovel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This is the tale of how Amaris became what we know as "Red Riding Hood"</p>
            </blockquote>





	My Name is Amaris

_Once upon a time…there was a young girl by the name of Amaris…_

 

Amaris climbed out of bed and stretched her thin limbs. There was a chill that had settled in her bedroom. She looked to the hearth and the fire had been snuffed overnight. Granny had taught her at a young age, she was nearing the age of fourteen now, how to pile the wood to keep the flames going. Once that was finished, she dressed in her red skirt and white blouse. Her tan shawl helped to keep her warm.

She ventured outside her bedroom and into the front room. In her rocker, facing the barricaded front door, crossbow in hand, was Granny snoozing.

Amaris carefully took the weapon out of her aging grandmother’s hands. “Granny,” she spoke softly so not to startle the woman. “Granny, its morning.” The woman’s eyes fluttered open. “Did you really stay up all night again? Wolfstime is but a thing of the past. I haven’t seen a wolf in these parts for years.”

“Don’t be pertinent child,” Granny scolded her. She eased up out of her rocker and winced from a stiff neck.

Amaris shook her head and unlocked the wooden door. She opened it to search the chicken coop as she did every morning, “Halt,” Granny called out. “How light is it out there?” Granny’s voice was filled with anxiety.

Pulling back the shutter slightly, “The sun is full up. Can I go now?”

Granny gave her the nod to go ahead and proceed. Amaris grabbed the woven basket and headed towards the chicken coop. They were more than generous this morning, the basket was filled to the brim. She took time to dote on the sweet birds and their chicks. Even the rooster got his feathers stroked, but he still hollered at her just because he knew he could.

She distributed enough for their own use and would take the rest into town and sell the remainder. Granny fought her to go alone, but the forest was possibly the safest place to be. No harm would come to her, no matter what Granny conjured up in her mind.

To be honest, she never felt freer than when she was in the forest. It felt more like a home to her than Granny’s cabin. She would never tell Granny that. Most girls she knew, even other children she knew, had both mother and father present in their life. She couldn’t remember her parents before their passing and all she had was her beloved Granny. That is why she believed why Granny was always so over protective to her. Fearful anything and everything would reach out and snatch Amaris away from her.

As she entered into town, everyone from Gipetto to the young shepherd boy named David gave her a ‘good morning to you’. She waved back and went on her way, to the town’s store. Eggs were substantially less in price this time. Granny would not be at all pleased to hear it either. More than a little disappointed, she pocketed the small sum into her purse and hit it under her skirt as Granny warned her.

Upon leaving the store, she nearly ran into her dearest friend, Baelfire. Most of the other children were frightened of him and his father, The Dark One. But in Bae, as everyone called him, she saw a kindred spirit. “Good morning, Bae,” she took a step back, she scanned the area to see if the green skinned man was around. “Where is your father?”

Bae shrugged his shoulders, “He has business to attend to. Asked me to fetch some things at the store.” Bae’s voice lowered when he mentioned of his father’s business affairs. He loved his father, probably more than he loved anyone else in the world and vice-versa, but ever since his father changed, there was a rift in their relationship.

“I came in to sell eggs,” she held up the empty basket. “With not much luck. The store clerk lowered the price.”

“What was that?” Bae’s face contorted into disappointed, Amaris whipped around to see the green skinned man, The Dark One, or Rumpelstiltskin as he was formerly known as. “What was that Amaris?” he asked her again.

“Uh, um,” she stammered, her eyes drifting from the store door and back to The Dark One. Maybe Granny was right, she shouldn’t have come alone. “I was just leaving, sir.”

“No, no, no, no,” Rumpelstiltskin wagged his finger. “No, I distinctly heard something, girl. Spit it out.”

“It’s nothing, Papa,” Bae tried to aid Amaris, but his father wouldn’t hear of it.

Amaris cleared her throat, thick with fear. “The price of eggs was lowered, sir.”

Rumpelstiltskin nodded and rubbed his chin with his slender fingers. “We’ll see about that.”

“Papa, no!” Bae exclaimed, but his father had already entered the store before either of the children could stop him. “I’m sorry, Amaris.”

No, it was she who was sorry. Sorry she ever even complained. Who knows what might happen to the poor clerk now. Minutes passed and the two sat outside the store on a wooden bench until Rumpelstiltskin emerged with a large purse and handed it to Amaris.

“No need to worry about the price now, girl,” she was unsure if she should take it. It might be the equivalent of blood money. “Well, go on and take it, it won’t bite.”

Hesitantly she took the purse and set it in her basket, “Th-thank you, s-sir.”

Amaris was ready to get out of there as soon as possible, even if it meant she wouldn’t get to see her friend. But once again the Dark One intervened.

“Bae, why don’t you treat your friend here to, well whatever is available,” he flipped a coin in his hand and tossed it to his son. “Just stay in town.”

Bae nodded, “Yes, Papa.”

It didn’t take much momentum to get Amaris to her feet and walking in haste away from the Dark One. She was almost taller than Bae and her long legs had a long stride compared to his. “Wait up,” she heard him a few paced behind her and she slowed down. “Listen, I’m sorry about what happened back there. I, well, no matter what I do, Papa, he just gets worse.”

She had seen it too. She remembered just a year or two ago how different his father was. She missed the humble spinner compared to what he was now. Even Bae had changed from just one year prior. He was solemn. He wasn’t the bright and cheerful boy she’d met in school so many years ago.

The two walked over to a woman selling warm apple cider. As soon as she saw Bae, she refused his money, but Bae paid anyway. They continued to walk through the town, sipping their cider, quietly, listening to the hushed chatter as the son of the Dark One passed by.

When they had finished, Amaris thanked her friend, “I should be heading back to the cabin. Granny will be worried sick.”

“Can’t you stay a little longer?” his eyes shown every sign of loneliness. A year ago he had a bountiful amount of friends, now he only had Amaris who was as much of a lone wolf as Bae was.

She shrugged her shoulders. “I guess it wouldn’t hurt to stay out a little longer, but only till the sun is setting. Or else I’ll get an earful from Granny.” They both chuckled.

They spent the rest of the day and into the early evening traveling the town square, the small shops, and once in a while the Dark One would come and check on them. But every time he left, she saw how he looked at his son. Even if he was filled to the brim with darkness, there was still such a love for Bae that couldn’t be wiped away.

As the sun began to set Amaris felt an unusual sensation. With them was his father and she wondered if the Dark One had attempted to curse her. “I should be getting back home.”

Bae jumped up from his seat, it was awful to see him so pained by loneliness. People feared him even more than his father and avoided him like the plague. He turned to his father. “Can I walk back with her? Please!” before his father could get a word in edgewise Bae continued. “You never let me do anything, Papa.”

Rumpelstiltskin gave her a scowl before returning his attention to his son and lowered his voice but Amaris was still close enough to hear the Dark One’s hushed tone, “You’re all I’ve got, Bae. I won’t see you hurt.”

“Why don’t we all walk back to the cabin,” the words were out of her mouth. It was a dreadful idea, she didn’t want to spend any more time with the Dark One, but she’d muddle through if it meant Bae could have a little ounce of freedom. Today had to have been the most he had in over a year. “It isn’t far, sir. And it’ll please Granny to know I wasn’t alone.”

Rumpelstiltskin wasn’t pleased with the notion either, but one pleading look from his son changed his mind. “Oh, fine, but I’m not stepping foot into that cabin with the old wretch.” He wrinkled his nose at the thought of seeing her Granny. It was a snide remark made to her, but she held her tongue. Just because she was Bae’s friend didn’t mean that she would be spared any kind of punishment for it.

So they ventured into the woods, Amaris leading the way, she’d be chewed out for sure as the sun was already setting. Her sense of smell and hearing changed and she felt odd. Her pulse began to race and her skin itched. She paused and looked at her hands there were claws in place of her fingers. “What is happening?” her voice was shrill.

She lost track of the time and the next thing she knew she was on all fours like a wild animal. Her voice was replaced with a low growl every time she tried to speak. She watched as Bae’s face turned to fear. But Rumpelstiltskin’s was unsurprised. From behind her she heard her Granny’s voice screeching, “No! Amaris!”

Amaris turned and growled at Granny, then swiftly turned to snarl at the Dark One and Bae. Her friend was fearful and with ever attempt to speak she snapped at them instead, she had no control over what it was that had overcome her. That beast, the Dark One had cursed her, she knew it now.

“Do something,” Granny begged the Dark One. “Look at her…” Granny’s voice broke, there were tears in the old woman’s eyes. “My girl…” She wanted to reach out and embrace Amaris, but with each step she took, Amaris felt as if she were being back into a corner and her growling grew fiercer.

There was dialog between the Dark One and Granny, but Amaris’ mind was in such a whirl that she had no idea what the two were debating. Finally she felt a cover of red over her and the feeling to attack subsided. Slowly she felt the metamorphosis back to her normal self.

Kneeling, back hunched over, hands in the dirt, she felt the wet tears sting her eyes. “Granny,” she sobbed as she looked up to see Granny kneel down and take her into her arms. “The Dark One curse me, I know it!”

Rumpelstiltskin chuckled an impish chuckle, “Really old woman, is that what you’re telling her?” The Dark One took a step closer to her. “You’re cursed, dearie, but certainly not by me. Someone got to your line before I had the chance.” Amaris felt like she was in a fog of confusion. “You’re a werewolf, dearie.”

“Granny?” she looked to her “Granny, am I monster?”

Granny stroked Amaris’ dark mane, “No,” she shushed her. “Dark One, how could you keep her out? You and your boy knew what would happen.”

Rumpelstiltskin waved Granny off, “There is no need for hysterics, dearie,” he rolled his eyes. “This girl will just have to get used to her canine nature.”

Amaris shook her head and began to cry. “Granny.”

“Papa, do something, change her back to like us,” Bae begged. “She’s my friend. Please do something.”

The Dark One’s shoulders slumped, he couldn’t deny his son’s pleas. “All right,” the Dark One snapped his fingers and a small bottle appeared. “Drink this, dearie.”

“Wh-what is it?” Amaris sobbed.

 “No, Amaris,” Granny cautioned her granddaughter. “We are more than enough in your debt, Dark One.”

“What will it do?” Amaris finally asked.

“It’ll make you forget, forget that you ever became, well you know, a wolf.”

“Can’t you change me back?” Amaris wondered aloud.

He shook his head, “This was done to you generations before my grandfather was even born. It cannot be undone. But this will help you to forget.” He held it out to her.

“No,” Amaris shook her head. “No, I will not be in your debt.”

Granny forced her granddaughter to face her, “Don’t be so easy to cast off help when you need it, child.”

Rumpelstiltskin held it out closer to her, “This is a onetime offer, dearie. And one that comes with no strings attached. That’s only because you’re friends with my boy.”

Amaris’ gaze went from the Dark One to Granny’s pleading eyes. She nodded. “All right,” she took the vile from the Dark One and took the cork out and downed the liquid till the bottle was empty and handed it back. She felt a tingle run through her body as the bitter liquid went down her throat. She closed her eyes and when she opened them starred around at the odd sight of the Dark One and Bae standing off to the side of her. And Granny on her knees holding her,

“What? Why am I here?”

Rumpelstiltskin nodded and took a step forward. “Now, she has to wear the cloak during,” his eyes met Amaris’. “Well, you know, old woman.”

Granny wrinkled her nose at the beast, “Amaris, come back with me inside the cabin.”

“Take care, Red,” Rumpelstiltskin sneered as he snapped his fingers and vanished in a mist of purple, taking her friend Bae with him.

“Why was Bae here, why was the Dark One here?” Amaris asked as the two treaded towards the cabin door.

“Never you mind, girl,” Granny forced Amaris inside and barricaded the door as they did the night before. “Get the shutters and whatever you do, do not take off that cloak.”

Amaris closed the wooden shutters, “Granny, what was all of that about?”

“Just do as you’re told, girl,” Granny replied.

Even though Granny acted as if what transpired in the forest hadn’t really happened, it didn’t mean that Amaris wasn’t plagued by questions. Why was the Dark One speaking to her and Granny? Why was Bae there? Where did the cloak come from? Why had she forgotten a whole day? And Why was Granny acting so peculiar?

When she tried to untie the cloak around her, Granny gave her a tongue lashing for it. She went to bed with it still wrapped around her. All she could think about was how not one thing made any sense.

 _Red?_ She kept thinking of the name the Dark One dubbed her. _Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad to go by Red?_ was the last thing that entered her mind as she drifted off to sleep.


End file.
